


Akuma Talk

by Writersblock159



Series: Black Spots Before the Red Dawn [2]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: AU, Akuma Possession, Friendship, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-20
Updated: 2018-07-20
Packaged: 2019-06-13 07:07:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,478
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15358995
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Writersblock159/pseuds/Writersblock159
Summary: Just how do Hawkmoths Akuma work? What does it feel like to be controlled? How are they supposed to act? Marinette and Alya compare notes over the different Akuma they've encountered, and, with Tikki's help, try to unravel some of the mystery behind the little purple butterflies.Stand alone one-shot.





	Akuma Talk

**Author's Note:**

> If you clicked on the link and are worried you'll be lost, don't sweat it, I've written this piece as best I could to ensure anyone could simply pick this up and read it at any time. That said I will make a shameless plug for the fic that spawned this spin-off, Devil May Care. It's on my page, and I'd love to hear what you think about it. Again, not required by any means, but it will provide you with some background on a few things. (Like how Alya knows about Tikki.)
> 
> Anyone coming from DMC this chapter takes place during chapter six while Nino and Adrien are running around the city, before they stop by the bakery. It isn't required reading by any means, but it does explain how the Akuma victims are affected, and how they think.

_“If I told you what I was, would you turn your back on me? And if I seemed dangerous, would you be scared?” Imagine Dragons- Monster_

* * *

 

Alya was bored.

Okay, washing Tikki in the sink had been… Interesting to say the least. However, she and Marinette had finished that almost an hour ago, and since then they had been waiting for a customer to walk into the bakery. It had been a depressingly slow day.

“Hey, Ayls?” Marinette started, pulling the journalist out of her thoughts. “Can I ask kind of a personal question?”

Alya glanced at her friend, “Sure, what's up?”

Marinette looked uncomfortable, “I was kinda wondering… About… you know… being akumatized?” The pigtailed girl trailed off, looking at the floor. Alya sucked in a breath at the major faux pause her friend had just made.

It was an unwritten rule that no one except law enforcement asked questions about akumatization, and even then the question was more about any clues that might lead them to Hawkmoth. If you felt like you had to tell someone what had happened, it was fine, but to _ask,_ that was an extremely rude and intimate question.

“Ummm…” Alya dithered. It wasn’t that she didn’t trust Marinette, heck, she had remained her friend even when Alya admitted to knowing who Ladybug was, and that she had known since the textbook incident. “What’d Tikki tell you?” She asked, looking for an excuse to put off telling her friend, even if it was only for a couple minutes.

“Not much, all she said was that she wasn't sure.” Marinette made a face, and Tikki defended herself.

“It's never really come up.” The red kwami complained. “Not to mention, even if it had, it's doubtful Nuruu even knows himself how it works. We might be an ancient race of powerful creatures,” she continued, ignoring Marinette’s eye roll at the blatantly obvious statement, “but we don’t exactly have a thriving scientific community, seeing as we spend more time sleeping than awake.”

“What about Master Fu’s kwami?” Marinette asked curiously. “He’s the guardian kwami, and he's awake as long as there’s a guardian.” She pointed out.

Floating down next to the plate of cookies that Marinette had left out for her, Tikki grabbed one and began to chew it thoughtfully. “I suppose Wyazz _might,”_ she stressed the word, “know, but the point is moot as I doubt he would explain one kwami’s powers to another.” Alya felt an eyebrow raise, only to have Tikki match her with one of her own. “Would you want the person who knows your secrets to tell all of your friends those secrets without your permission?” Tikki asked. “Especially if those were secrets even you didn't know?” When Alya shook her head, the kwami went back to the cookie. “I didn’t think so. If you want answers you got straight to the source, which is, I believe, exactly what Marinette has done.” The kwami looked slyly at Alya. “You’re a smart girl, I’m sure that you have plenty of theories.”

Alya mentally groaned. She wasn’t used to being around an inordinately ancient being yet, and her inexperience at verbal jousting was showing. “ _Screw it.”_ She thought.  As a matter of fact, if Alya was going to tell anyone, Marinette was at the top of the list. Tikki would probably have a unique perspective too.

“So you know why I was akumatized.” She began slowly. This was harder than she thought it would be. “I assume you want to know what it was like?” At Marinette's nod, she took a deep breath.

“It was like a thought at first. Nothing more than, a niggling idea in the back of my mind. Then it sort of… grew. By the time Hawkmoth actually made his offer, I had already decided my codename, my mark, and my plan. The offer was really just ‘convenient’ to take. Almost instinctual.” She felt the tears begin to form and shook her head. She was done with crying. She was all cried out. She. Would. Not. Cry.

She felt a tear slide down her face. Traitor.

“I’m so sorry. Alya.” She felt her friend’s hot breath in her ear as she was enveloped by a couple of slim arms. “I feel like I really failed you that day. I should have called you, I should have been on time. I could have been a much better friend.” Marinette finished, before pulling back and offering her a handkerchief.

Alya sighed as she accepted the proffered hankie. “I really don’t blame you for that. Chloe would have been Chloe no matter what, and knowing her she would have dragged you into it too and we both would have been suspended.”

Marinette grinned, “Well yeah, but it would've been an excuse for us to hang out. We could have both gone and plotted revenge.” Alya chuckled.

“I don't know, scaring her half to death was pretty good revenge, even if I was a bit out of it.” Alya glanced at Marinette, who was staring into space. “Okay girl, I know that look, what are you thinking about?”

“You said you it was almost instinctual to take the offer.” Marinette said slowly, eyes refocusing as she spoke. “I was just thinking, what if that’s what akumatization is?” Alya motioned for her to go on, “What if the Akuma affects your Id? Gives it a new instinct, makes that instinct top priority, eclipsing all but say breathing etcetera, before then forcing your Ego and Superego to take a backseat while the Id is in charge.”

Alya felt herself grin, “When did you actually pay attention to Freud? I read him because it was part of the journalist camp I went to a few months back, but I didn't think you would be familiar with it.”

Marinette blushed. “I may have seen a reference to the Id in an American cartoon and looked it up. It was a lot more interesting than I expected.”

“Back on topic,” a squeaky voice cut in, causing the two girls to look at the kwami between them, “it sounds like a solid theory, Marinette, and when we add Alya’s story too, I don't think it's wrong. That said,” the kwami continued as she considered the last cookie that was lying on the plate she was sitting on. “I’m not sure that that's the exact way the butterfly miraculous was designed.” Coming to a decision, the little bug began eating the last cookie.

Alya felt that there was a piece missing too, and she had an idea what it was. “I wonder if the reason it appeals only to the Id is because it’s corrupted.” Getting curious looks from her two conversation partners, she elaborated. “You’ve already said that misused miraculous aren't as powerful as normal ones, but what if instead _maintaining_ free will, Hawkmoths akumas are actually _denied_ it due to the fact only the Id is in charge.” She held up her hand as Tikki was about to jump in, “Hear me out, then judge.” Satisfied she wouldn't be interrupted, she pressed on.

“The butterfly miraculous is designed to make heros correct?” At Tikki’s nod, she continued, “So if it was being used properly the Akuma would create heroic desire in the Id, the Ego would be then ‘reprogrammed’ into accepting the new reality it had been given, and the Superego would also have a ‘hand on the wheel’ so to speak, ensuring that the new hero doesn't cause collateral damage.” Thinking of the many battles across Paris she amended her last sentence. “Well, too much damage anyway.”

Marinette nodded, “From what I remember that actually makes sense. I’d have to do some internet research to confirm a few things about Freud’s work, but I think it fits.”

“It explains a lot if it does.” Tikki piped up, cookie nowhere to be seen, “and it makes me wonder if the miraculouses work in a similar manner.”

“I doubt it.” Marinette disagreed. “I’m sure they have _some_ effect on the mind, but I'm fairly certain that when I'm in the suit I'm still me. After all,” She pointed out, a raging blush on her cheeks. “I’m still an absolute mess when I face Adrien in the mask. Also, when we've interacted with an Akuma victim, they haven't responded to their given name; only their villain name. I think-”

What Marinette thought was cut off as the egg timer she had set on the counter with a loud buzz. “Oooh!” Tikki said cheerfully. “Cookies are done!” With that, the little bug flew into the back, Marinette following behind, muttering something about grabbing pans.

Alys chuckled as she pulled out her phone. The baker in Marinette was as much a part of her as the designer.

Oooh, a message from Nino.

_“Adrin nd I ll b thre in 2 min.”_

**Author's Note:**

> I love reviews, please give them.  
> No clever chapter title this time guys, sorry.  
> Most importantly, R&R!


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